2013 NFL Draft: Many Possibilities for Geno Smith to Be Drafted during Second Round

By Phil Naegely

Rich Barnes – USA TODAY Sports

Yesterday, football fans from all over tuned in to watch the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. There were many surprises on the day and many mock drafts ended up looking totally wrong. Many players expected to be drafted high in the first round were either drafted pick No. 16 or later or in QB Geno Smith’s case, not selected at all. It looks like today will be the day Smith hears his name called from the microphone.

Smith was definitely bummed out and it was reported that he wasn’t going to stay for the second round today, but he has since changed his mind. Now the question that needs to be asked is will he be drafted in the second round and who will end up drafting him?

In the first seven picks of the second round, there are at least three teams that most likely will be drafting a quarterback. The Jacksonville Jaguars have all the power and leverage with the No. 33 pick (first pick of second round). Also, they are the first team in the second round that could be interested in picking a quarterback. They might end up going in a different direction, but if they pick a quarterback, do they pick Matt Barkley over Smith or vice versa?

Even if Jacksonville doesn’t pick Smith, I don’t see him getting past the Philadelphia Eagles. They have the35thpicks, and I see the Eagles taking Smith with it. I just don’t see how they don’t take him other than if they feel like Smith can’t eventually be their franchise quarterback. Michael Vick’s career is waning and their other quarterback options at the moment don’t show much hope or promise either.

If for some reason Smith isn’t drafted by the Eagles, I see the New York Jets being an option to select him with the 39th pick. The Jets have a roster full of quarterbacks, but Mark Sanchez seems to be helpless, Tim Tebow has not been given an opportunity to play a true quarterback, and Greg McElroy is a solid option who was given an opportunity last season after Sanchez screwed up. So if the Jets were to draft Smith, would they try to trade Sanchez at the draft or let Smith train under Sanchez? Most likely it would be the latter, and then once they felt Smith was NFL ready, they would trade Sanchez.

Smith will need to work on improving his fundamentals and other issues, but that is probably why he fell out of the first round. Let’s not forget Drew Brees fell to the second round, and I am not saying Smith will be the next Brees, but we won’t know until Smith gets prove himself in the NFL.

I am confident in saying is Smith will be drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. No matter where he ends up, he will be playing with a chip on his shoulder and will be extra motivated to succeed.